PREVIEW: WWH AFTERSMASH: WARBOUND #5 (of 5)

Children of Gammaworld, remember their names! Korg the Kronan. Hiroim the Oldstrong. Elloe Kaifi. No-Name of the Brood. They survived the gladiator pits and battlefields of "Planet Hulk." They withstood the titanic clashes and soul-searing revelations of "World War Hulk." But today, under the deadly dome of Gammaworld, a hero falls -- and the Warbound will never be the same!
Written by GREG PAK
Pencils by LEONARD KIRK & Rafa Sandoval
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
32 PGS./Rated T+ /$2.99

PREVIEW: INCREDIBLE HERCULES #116

Is Hercules a Skrull? Maybe. But is he an Eternal? Ikaris and Thena certainly think so, and they may just kill Herc to prove it!
Written by GREG PAK & FRED VAN LENTE
Penciled by RAFA SANDOVAL
Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR., KLAUS JANSON & DEAN WHITE
32 PGS./Rated A /$2.99

PREVIEW: WWH AFTERSMASH: WARBOUND #4

In the slave pits of Sakaar, the Warbound swore to stand by each other to the very end. And through the terrible battles of PLANET HULK and WORLD WAR HULK, they kept their promise. But today, as the Leader's nefarious plan unfolds, a hero breaks the unbreakable oath. And the lives of thousands hang in the balance beneath the deadly dome of Gammaworld. Will the Brood break? Will Korg crack? Will Elloe explode? Will Hiroim... will Hiroim...Hm. I got nothing folks. But buy this book!
COVER BY: JIM CHEUNG
WRITER: GREG PAK
PENCILS: RAFA SANDOVAL
INKS: ROGER BONET
COLORED BY: VAL STAPLES
LETTERED BY: VC - JOE CARAMAGNA
Rated T+ …$2.99

PREVIEW: INCREDIBLE HERCULES #115

After the injuries to Amadeus Cho’s coyote pup at the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, the world’s seventh smartest person has implemented his most deadly idea yet—destroying S.H.I.E.L.D.! In Incredible Hercules #115, from the critically acclaimed team of co-writers Greg Pak (World War Hulk) & Fred Van Lente (Wolverine: First Class), and artist Khoi Pham, comes the greatest challenges Hercules may have ever faced! Not only must he try to sway Cho from crossing a line from which he can never return, but Herc’s brother—Ares, God of War—kicks their feud into high gear. Just what more could Ares do to enrage and injure his brother? Just wait till you see what happens in this jaw-dropping conflict! This issue is also available with a stunning regular cover by Art Adams and a variant by Marko Djurdjevic!
An IGN.Com Editor’s Choice, reviewer Bryan Joel exclaimed, “Incredible Hercules is something of a miracle book. It's been by and large hailed as a surprising joy and critical success, landing inside in the top 20 on the sales charts… Some really first-class stuff here,” further declaring the book “a remarkable achievement.”
“This is well worth the time and money,” said Paul Brian McCoy of ComicsBulletin.Com. “I recommend this highly. It is, without a doubt, one of the best books Marvel is putting out at the moment.”
Now that Cho has been able to get into the S.H.I.E.L.D mainframe, what’s his next move? We’ve seen what Hercules is capable of in battle, but is Ares enough to take him down? All these questions and more are answered in the action packed Incredible Hercules #115!
Written by GREG PAK & FRED VAN LENTE
Penciled by KHOI PHAM
Colored by STEPHANE PERU
Cover by ART ADAMS
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Rated A …$2.99
FOC—2/28/08,On-Sale—3/19/08

WWH AFTERSMASH: WARBOUND #3

COVER BY: JIM CHEUNG
WRITER: GREG PAK
PENCILS: LEONARD KIRK
INKS: LEONARD KIRK
COLORED BY: VAL STAPLES
LETTERED BY: VC - JOE CARAMAGNA
THE STORY:
When the Hulk's deadliest enemy takes the lead, only the Warbound can defend the puny humans from his wrath. But can our heroes' oath to stand by each other to the end survive — when one of the Warbound themselves threatens to become the biggest monster under the deadly dome of Gammaworld?
Rated T+…$2.99

INCREDIBLE HERCULES #114

COVER BY: ART ADAMS
WRITER: FRED VAN LENTE
GREG PAK
PENCILS: KHOI PHAM
INKS: PAUL NEARY
COLORED BY: STEPHANE PERU
LETTERED BY: VC - JOE CARAMAGNA
THE STORY:
In the wake of WORLD WAR HULK, the Mighty Avengers are hot on the heels of unrepentant renegades Hercules and Amadeus Cho. Driven into a mindless berserker rage by Ares, Herc has become the critical piece of Cho's plan to utterly destroy S.H.I.E.L.D. What is Cho's master plan to wipe out the spy agency...and is he willing to get Herc killed to do it? Guest-starring the Champions of Los Angeles! Yes, seriously.
Rated A…$2.99

LOEB/MCGUINNESS AND PAK/PAGULAYAN QUADRUPLE-TEAM THE INCREDIBLE HULK

The fact that the Marvel-exclusive dream team of writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuinness would follow up their forthcoming "The Ultimates" Volume 4 with a Hulk project has been known for well over a year. But today at the Baltimore Retailer Summit, a teaser image was finally revealed with the news that not only would Loeb and McGuiness be working on the Jade Giant in 2008, but so would the best-selling "Planet Hulk" creative team of writer Greg Pak and artist Carlo Pagulayan.
According to Marvel's Assistant Manager of Sales Communication Jim McCann, "From there, your guess is as good as anyone else's!"
CBR News tracked down Jeph Loeb and Greg Pak quicker than General Thaddeus E. Ross to see if the incredible green team would be any more giving with information.
Read Full Article

INCREDIBLE HULK #110

Boy genius Amadeus Cho pulled together a team of Renegades to side with his big green hero during World War Hulk--but what will happen to his faith in the Hulk's heroism when he discovers the horrors lurking beneath Madison Square Garden? The Hulk takes center stage with a terrifying confrontation and a stunning revelation that lays bare the central question of whether the Hulk is a hero -- or a monster.
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by CARLO PAGULAYAN
Cover by GARY FRANK
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

WAR PARTY: PAK TALKS "WORLD WAR HULK: WARBOUND"

It seems like there is no more fitting name for the Hulk's companions than the Warbound. As detailed in Marvel Comics' “Planet Hulk” storyline, the ragtag alien group of ex-gladiators originally banded together to fight for their own freedom and later for the freedom of all the oppressed races on planet Sakaar. When tragedy befell their home planet, the Warbound accompanied their leader, the Hulk, back to Earth on a mission of revenge. Their battle for retribution is currently unfolding in the “World War Hulk” miniseries and readers can expect the Warbound's life of turmoil to continue when “WWH” ends. The group plays a role in the November one-shot “World War Hulk: Aftersmash,” but the next chapter in their life begins in December in “World War Hulk: Warbound,” a five-issue miniseries by writer Greg Pak and artist Leonard Kirk. CBR News spoke with Pak about the miniseries. Read Full Article

PREVIEW: WORLD WAR HULK #4

The most “incredible” blockbuster of the summer is back in World War Hulk #4 (of 5)! From acclaimed writer Greg Pak and living legend John Romita JR comes the fourth chapter of the Marvel Comics event that has captivated critics and fans alike. The Hulk has converted Madison Square Garden into his own battle arena and captured those heroes who opposed him. The seemingly defeated Doctor Strange has returned, bonded with a demon to increase his own power…but at what cost to the Sorcerer Supreme? And when the dust settles, who will go too far to ensure their victory? The answer will shock you!

MORE SMASHING TO COME FROM PAK AND KIRK WITH "WARBOUND"

On Saturday at Fan Expo Canada 2007, a show billed as the second largest of its kind in North America, it was announced that Greg Pak would continue the "World War Hulk" saga with a "Warbound" mini-series.
CBR News spoke with the artist on the project, Leonard Kirk, who also attended the conference in Toronto.
"I am obviously very excited, but to be honest, you guys probably know more about it than I do. I just call the call about it on Thursday," laughed Kirk.
The mini-series follows the exploits of the surviving members of Hulk's team of Sakaarian gladiators, who accompanied Green Scar back to Earth in "World War Hulk."
Warbound currently consists of Hulk, Arch-E-5912, Brood, Elloe Kaifi, Hiroim, Korg and Miek.
Kirk wouldn't spill who would be around at the end of "World War Hulk" and the start of the "Warbound" series.
"I only know of a couple [of the characters] and I don't know who I am allowed to say," admitted Kirk. "I know very little specifically about what is happening with the story. We [he and Pak] talked about some of the characters and very briefly about the plot, but I haven't seen the first script yet." Source

Preview: Incredible Hulk #109

Boy genius Amadeus Cho pulled together a team of Renegades to side with his big green hero during “World War Hulk” — but what will happen to his faith in the Hulk’s heroism when he discovers the horrors lurking beneath Madison Square Garden? The Hulk takes center stage with a terrifying confrontation and a stunning revelation that lays bare the central question of whether the Hulk is a hero — or a monster.
WRITER: GREG PAK
PENCILS: CARLO PAGULAYAN
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
IN STORES: August 8, 2007

Videos World War Hulk Launch Party

WORLD WAR HULK made its smash debut in June and to celebrate, NYC comics hotspot Jim Hanley's Universe hosted a jam-packed event with creators Greg Pak, John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson and a horde of eager fans. Check it out!

PREVIEW: Incredible Hulk #108

As World War Hulk rages in Manhattan, Incredible Hulk #108 looks at the conflict from a different perspective; how will the Green Goliath deal with his best friend, Rick Jones? Written by Greg Pak, the man behind the best selling Planet Hulk, and fan favorite penciler Leonard Kirk (Agents of Atlas) bring you an exhilarating issue featuring Rick Jones, a pivotal figure in the Incredible Hulk’s past…and future!
No one in the universe knows the Hulk better than the loyal Rick Jones who has stood by the savage beast through the good and the bad. However, in his absence, the Hulk may have formed a closer bond with Miek The Unhived, his first ally from the alien planet Sakaar. What will happen when the Hulk’s oldest friend meets the Hulk’s Warbound comrade? Also, whose side is Rick really on? These answers and more come in the all new Incredible Hulk #108!
With every tie-in issue of the red-hot World War Hulk selling out quickly, Marvel urges retailers to check their orders for future issues of this incredible summer blockbuster. Tune in to find out if the Hulk and his Warbound will spare or smash the “puny human” known as Rick Jones!
Written by GREG PAK
Pencils by LEONARD KIRK
Rated A …$2.99
On Sale—7/25/07

Greg Pak World War Hulk Interview

Sitting somewhere between up-and-coming writer and seasoned veteran, over the past year Greg Pak has firmly established one thing: He's one of Marvel's best. Driving "Planet Hulk" and now "World War Hulk," Pak has firmly entreanched himself in the firmament of Marvel's writing elite--yet he remains a humble, soft-spoken and friendly guy who just wants to tell the best stories he can. With WORLD WAR HULK #1 on fire and #2 a few weeks away, we sat down with Pak to get his thoughts on Hulk, writing and making his career in comics. Read Entire Interview

Incredible Hulk #107 Debriefing

On a film set, the shooting schedule tends to follow logistics rather than chronology — meaning every scene in the pet store gets shot on the day we’re at the pet store, regardless of when those scenes actually appear in the screenplay. So as a film director, I’ve had to train myself to keep the chronological flow of the story in my head while shooting out of sequence — which turns out to have been excellent preparation for the craziness of comic book scheduling.
Looking back through my files, I see that I turned in the final script for “Incredible Hulk” #107 on January 16, the final script for “World War Hulk” #1 on January 18, and the final script for “Incredible Hulk” #105 on January 26. That’s the exact opposite chronological order of how the books actually came out. But when artists’ schedules open up, writers need to provide pages.
Now I’d outlined all of these scripts weeks or even months beforehand, so I knew how the whole story held together and how each script set up the next and was able to apply my filmmaker’s training to write out of sequence. But “Incredible Hulk” #107 provided even more extreme challenges. The tightness of the schedule meant that penciller Gary Frank needed pages before the whole script was completed. Continued

PREVIEW: WORLD WAR HULK #1 (of 5)

Marvel's massive summer smashfest begins! Exiled by a group of Marvel "heroes" to the savage alien planet of Sakaar, the Hulk raged, bled and conquered through the pages of last year's "Planet Hulk" epic, rising from slave to gladiator to king. Now the Hulk returns to Earth to wreak his terrible vengeance on Iron Man, Reed Richards, Dr. Strange and Black Bolt -- and anyone else who gets in his way. Stronger than ever, accompanied by his monstrous Warbound gladiator allies, and possessed by the fiercest and purest rage imaginable, the Hulk may just tear this stupid planet in half. The epic story of anger unbound begins with this special double-sized issue written by "Planet Hulk" scribe Greg Pak and penciled by the legendary John Romita, Jr.
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by JOHN ROMITA JR.
Cover by DAVID FINCH
Variant Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
On sale June 13

THE ROOTS OF ‘WORLD WAR HULK’

Writer Greg Pak offers up a ‘Planet Hulk’ refresher as the Earth braces for the big guy’s wrath
The Hulk was launched into space, lost in a portal, stranded on a war-torn planet, enslaved, forced into gladiatorial battles, became an army’s leader on a planet-wide takeover, got married with a little Hulk on the way, and helplessly witnessed it all get taken away. What’s he going to do next? He’s going to Disney World!
…To smash it, of course.
Greg Pak gets us all caught up with the events of “Planet Hulk” and tells us what to expect from the World War Hulk series debuting this week, including who might be spared and which Illuminati member might pose the biggest problem for ol’ Green Genes.
Continued

World War Hulk #1 Review

An interesting side effect of Civil War, it seems, is this growing sense for Marvel fans of “having to pick a side.” It appears to pervade the critical senses of many fans, as when they read a Marvel comic book now, their first reaction is usually about how “their side” is being portrayed. Fans who dislike Iron Man view the comic with that hatred, and fans who like Iron Man view the comic (if you’ll forgive the term) with “Iron Man tinted glasses”.
With that taken for granted, writer Greg Pak does an excellent job catering to both sides with this comic book, while still managing to write a strong opening act to the World War Hulk storyline. Continued

INTERVIEW: WORLD WAR HULK'S - GREG PAK

"WORLD WAR HULK'S" GREG PAK